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2 Answers

When on an IFR flight plan, do you have to request the higher altitude when there is a change in MEA, MOCA, OROCA?

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When heading east on a heading of 090 and the MEA / OROCA for the airway/sector  is 5000ft. Your next leg will be a heading of 350, and the MEA / OROCA / MCA is 8000 ft. As the FAR's state, after you cross the intersection / fix, you should then begin your climb to the next MEA / OROCA. The question is do you just climb to the next Altitude  without calling ATC or do you have to "request" that altitude from ATC. 

Another quick question. If you were on an easterly heading for your initial departure leg, and your next leg will be on a northwestern heading, would you file an altitude appropriate for 0-179 or 180-359? I have always just filed the initial legs appropriate altitude for the track. Also, similar to the first question, would you call ATC when you need to change your altitude due to your heading or do you just do it?

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2 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Apr 13, 2014

    ATC will be way ahead of you and assign the appropriate higher altitude in the clearance. If for some reason they don’t, call them and ask for the higher altitude. In my 40+ years of flying I don’t recall ever needing to do this, but in case it does, ask.

    You fly your last assigned altitude. With IFR altitudes, the regulations don’t specify a hemispherical rule in controlled airspace like VFR. ATC will typically assign a direction of flight altitude, but it is not in the regulations to do so and they can assign a so called “wrong direction” altitude and do it all the time when it suits their purposes. You can request either even or odd altitudes based on your desires or needs. You won’t always get it, but often you will. I do this when the correct direction altitude will do things like: give me a rough ride, prevent me from remaining on top, put me into a strong head wind, put me into icing conditions, and so on. In many cases, the controller will come on and say that I need you at an odd or even altitude for direction of flight and I have requested remaining at my existing altitude, traffic permitting. I frequently am permitted to remain at my altitude, but it is common that when you get a hand off that the request has to be passed on to the next controller.

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  2. tommytom on Apr 13, 2014

    Thank you John for your help.

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